At NAB 2016 Nugen Audio will Release the 9.1 Option for Halo Upmix With Full Support for Dolby® Atmos and Overhead Positioning for use in Pro Tools. This new extension to their excellent stereo upmix solution is amongst the first to support 9.1 surround upmixing in Pro Tools.

At BVE 2016 earlier this year we got an exclusive sneak peak at the Nugen Audio Halo 9.1 plug-in and see below for the answers about pricing.

First To Deliver 9.1 Upmix Solution

Building on the excellent algorithms that established Halo Upmix as a serious stereo upmix solution, Nugen Audio will be among the first companies to introduce a 9.1 upmix option, which includes overhead positioning and generates a 7.1.2 (Dolby Atmos®) bed track-compatible upmix all inside Pro Tools. They have developed a solution to work round the ceiling of 7.1 busses in Pro Tools so everything can be handled inside the Pro Tools DAW in an audio post production workflow.

Integrates With Dolby Atmos Workflow

With this new extension, sound designers and post-production engineers can bring existing stereo content more easily into a full Dolby Atmos mix. Dolby Atmos allows content creators to design mixes that will transport listeners with audio that moves all around them, including overhead. With an expanded and detailed visual interface, overhead positioning will be clear and intuitive.

This expansion to the capability of Halo Upmix is a timely introduction, as Dolby Atmos is now increasingly being integrated into cinemas, home theater systems, mobile devices, and UHD movie title releases. Nugen Audio has worked closely with Dolby to ensure that this new 9.1 upmix solution serves to enhance surround post-production workflows worldwide. Curt Behlmer, senior vice president, content solutions and industry relations, Dolby Laboratories told us...

We have worked closely with the entertainment industry to develop an ecosystem of tools and workflows that meet the needs of sound mixers and editors, and we are delighted to see Nugen Audio embrace Dolby Atmos in their award winning upmix plug-in. This functionality showcases industry and consumer demand for next-generation audio experiences, and makes it easier for creative professionals to produce Dolby Atmos experiences for consumers around the world.

Builds On Great Nugen Audio Technology

The Halo Upmix 9.1 option builds on several key Nugen Audio technologies, which are based on frequency-domain and time-domain energy distribution and neural network artificial intelligence. Producers can target various upmix goals including full stable surrounds, exact downmix matching, or full dialog isolation. You can read all about how this feature helped to save a client of Alan Sallabank from a very costly remix.

In addition to stem and group upmixing, producers can use Halo Upmix's centre channel control and management to fine-tune a surround mix and to create intricate mixes when there is no access to the original stems. The solution's detailed centre channel control includes Nugen Audio's proprietary neural network-based dialog extraction, which can be applied in all upmix cases, from stereo to 5.1/7.1 and 9.1. The 9.1 extension adds an overhead positioning element using a similar highly visual interface to that which established Halo Upmix as a popular solution among post facilities. Jon Schorah, creative director, Nugen Audio told us...

Nugen Audio is glad to be working alongside Dolby, Avid, and other contributors to provide cutting-edge solutions for naturally extracted and expanded soundscapes or a full cinematic Dolby Atmos compatible upmix. We're helping producers to tackle a wide range of upmixing tasks easily and intuitively without compromising quality.

Nugen Audio Price & Availability Of Nugen Audio Halo Upmix 9.1

Halo Upmix is immediately available at a list price of $499 for both OS X and Windows®, with support for Avid AAX, AudioSuite, VST2, VST3, and AU formats. The new 9.1 upmix extension can now be purchased for $199 and is also available as a separate upgrade for existing Halo Upmix customers.

In this video Mike Thornton gets an exclusive preview of the original Nugen Audio Halo Upmix plug-in. Does it deliver? Watch and find out.